I-40 Ramp Changes Coming

AMARILLO -- Traffic congestion in west Amarillo will soon get some relief.

The Texas Department of Transportation plans to make some major changes to on and off ramps on I-40.

Right now, they're looking at the busiest entrances and exits in west Amarillo on I-40 between Soncy and Coulter.

The plan is to reverse the ramps. It's something a lot of cities have done, changing the on and off ramps to provide more mobility.

If you've ever tried to exit Coulter or Soncy during the holidays you'll know what kind of headache drivers face.

With an influx of traffic headed for the mall, the exit ramps often back-up onto the interstate causing a traffic hazard.

TxDOT plans to replace the exit ramps with on ramps and vice versa.

City councilman Dr. Brian Eades says it will help with traffic on the interstate as well as at the intersections.

"You have to sit through one whole intersection and really include that one when you're not even trying to turn on that street. So we need to bypass intersections. You should only have to go through an intersection if you're making a turn right or left on that location and this is what that does too. It's really going to improve the flow through the intersections at Coulter and Soncy." Dr. Eades said.

TxDOT is also looking at changing the exit from I-40 eastbound onto the Canyon e-way at the interchange.

If you've ever driven it, you know when you leave the interstate you actually exit onto an access road and are forced to sit through a light before getting onto the E-way.

While TxDOT already has a plan, they will be taking public input on the proposal before construction begins.

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